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IS 3025-10 (1984): Methods of sampling and test (physical

and chemical) for water and wastewater, Part 10: Turbidity
[CHD 32: Environmental Protection and Waste Management]

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Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda

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( Third Reprint SEPTEMBER

UDC 62811.3: 643316

1998 )

1s : 3025

( Part 10)

- 1984

( (Reaffirmed
Reaffirmed1996)
2002 )

Indian Standard

METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TEST ( PHYSICAL AND

CHEMICAL ) FOR WATER AND WASTE WATER
PART 10 TURBIDITY
( First Revision )
I. Scope - Prescribes nephelometric method for the measurement of turbidity of water. This method
is applicable to all types of water.
2. Principle - It is based on comparision of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under
defined conditions with the intensity of light scattered by a standard reference suspension under the
same conditions.
The higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the turbidity. Formazin polymer is generally
used as turbidity standard because it is more reproducible than other types of standards used
previously. The turbidity of a particular concentration of Formazin suspension is defined as 40 Jackson
turbidity units. The same suspension of Formazin has a turbidity of approximately 40 units when
measured on Jackson candle turbidimeter.
Thus turbidity units based on the Formazin preparation
closely approximate those derived from Jackson candle turbidimeter but may not always be indentical
to them.
3. Interferences

Coloured solutes cause low turbidity values.

4. Apparatus
4.1 Sample Tubes -

The sample tubes should be of clear and colourless glass.

4.2 TurbidimeterThe turbidimeter shall consist of a nephelometer with a light source for illuminating the sample and one or more photo electric detectors with a readout device to indicate the intensity
of light scattered at right angles to the path of the incident light. The turbidimeter should be SO
designed that little stray light reaches the detector in the absence of turbidity and should be free from
significant drift after a short warm-up period.
5. Reagents
5.1 Turbidity-Free Water - Pass distilled water through membrane filter having a pore size not
greater than 045 pm, if such filtered water shows a lower turbidity than the distilled water. Discard the
first 200 ml collected. Otherwise use distilled water.
5.2 Hexamethylene Tetramine Solution water and dilute to 100 ml.
5.3 Hydrazine Sulphate Solution lised water and dilute to 100 ml.

Dissolve 100 g hexamethylene tetramine

Dissolve

1000 g hydrazine

in demineralised

sulphate (NH&HaSOI)

in deminera-

5.4 Turbidity Standard Suspension I ( Formazin) - In a 1 O&ml volumetric flask mix 50 ml hydratine
sulphate solution with 50 ml haxamethylene tetramine solution. After 24-hour standing at 25 f 3C,
dilute to 100 ml with demineralised water and mix well. Prepare fresh monthly.
5.5 Turbidity Standard Suspension II - Dilute IO ml turbidity standard suspension I to 1OQ ml with
demineralised water, The turbidity of this suspension is defined as 40 Jackson Turbidity units (JTU).
Prepare fresh weekly. This suspension may be diluted as required to prepare more dilute turbidity
standards.
- Preservation of sample is not practical. Analysis
6. Sample Handling and Preservation
begin as soon as possible. Refregeration or chilling to 4C is recommended to minimize
biological reaction.

should
micro-

7. Procedure
7.1 Turbidimeter Calibration-Follow
the manufacturers operating instructions. Measure the standards
on turbidimeter covering the range of interest. If the instrument is already calibrated in standard
turbidity units, this procedure will check the accuracy of calibration.
Adopted29 February1984

Q July 1985,BlS
I
BUREAU
MANAK

OF

INDIAN

BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR

Or
I

STANDARDS
ZAFARMARG

SHAH

NEW DELRI 110002

IS :3925

( Part

IO ) - 1984

7.2 T//lbic/iiy
Less Than 43 Unifs -. Slialte
LlsnrJnenr. Pour sample into turbidimeter
or from xlibrntion
cune.

the sample to disperse the solids.

Wait until air bubbles
tube and read turbidity directly from the instrument scale

Grcatcr Than 40 Units -- In case turbidity values are greater than 40 units, dilute the
7:..a Tu:I;:iity
sample.
s;ar,~plo wi!ll turbidity-free
water to bring the values within range. Take readings of diluted
Compute i:,o iurbidity of the original sample from the turbidity of the diluted sample and the dilution
factor.
8. C~~31iL7ZiOll-

Calculate

Turbidity

units

the turbidity
Ax
= ---

of diluted

samples, using the following

equation:

(B-:-C)
c

A -.. turbidity

units found

in diluted

6 --- volume

in ml of dilution

sample,

water used, and

C :-: volume of sample in ml taken for dilution.

3. Report

Repcrt turbidity
Turbidity

as follows:

Rang8

in unit

Record

O-

to the Nearest
005
01
1

I:,
lo40
40100
IOO400
400 - 1 000
Greater than 1 000

1:
50
100

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The turbidity of sample is the reduction of transparency due to the presence of particulate
matter
such as clay or silt, finely divided
organic matter, plankton or other microscopic organisms. These
cause light to be scattered and absorbed rather than transmitted in straight lines through the sample.
The method is applicable
to drinking, surface and saline waters in the range of turbidity
O-40 NTU.
Higher values may be obtained by dilution of the sample. The values are expressed in nephelometric
WrLidity units (NTU). The NTU considered comparable to the previously
reported Jackson Turbidity
units (JTU) and Formazin Turbidity
units (FTU). The standard method for the determination
of
turbidity is based on Jackson candle turbidimeter and the lowest turbidity values that can be measured
on this instrument is 25 units. As turbidity of treated water is usually in the range of O-5 units indirect
secondary methods have been used which, however, do not duplicate the results obtained on Jackson
Candle Turbidimeter
for all the samples. Due to fundamental differences in optical systems, results
obtair,3d with different
types of secondary instruments do not check closely with one another even
Use of suspensions,
of different
though instruments are precalibrated against candle turbidimeter.
types of particulate matter, for preparation of calibration curves may also cause discrepancies.
Most
commercial turbidimeters fcr measuring low turbidities
give comparatively
good indications
of the
intensity
of light scattarcd
in one particular
direction
predominantly
at right angle to the incident
light.
This method supercedes clause 6 of IS : 3025-l
chemical) for water used in industry.

964 Methods

of sampling

and test

(physical

and

2
Prlnted at New India PrintingPress. Khurja. India